BLACK-THROATED DIVER. 'J:->7 



pure white bands : the wing-coverts are black, slightly 

 sprinkled with white : the legs are externally brown, 

 and internally, as well as the membranes, whitish. 

 The young greatly resemble those of the preceding 

 species, but are considerably smaller : they have the 

 head and the nape of a clear ash-colour : the throat 

 and fore part of the neck white, sometimes varied 

 with violet -black feathers : the longitudinal band and 

 stripe on the sides of the neck, those on the lower 

 part of the neck, and several black feathers on the 

 back, rump, and sides, are apparent. At the age of 

 two years the ash-colour on the head and the nape 

 becomes deeper, and has a blackish tinge on the fore- 

 head : the violet -black on the throat and fore part of 

 the neck appears, but it is always spotted with white: 

 the longitudinal bands are portrayed : the feathers 

 on the edges of the upper parts of the back, the sca- 

 pulars, and the wing-coverts are barred and spotted 

 with white : the upper mandible of the beak becomes 

 dusky, but its base and under mandible are still ash- 

 coloured. In the third year the plumage is perfect. 

 This bird is equally common in the northern arctic 

 regions with the preceding, and appears, during its 

 autumnal and winter migrations, in England, Ger- 

 many, and Holland : it is rare in the interior of 

 France, but very common on the Swiss lakes. It 

 breeds among the plants on the borders of lakes and 

 other large collections of water ; the female laying 

 two brown eggs, sprinkled with distinct black spots : 

 its food consists, as is usual in this genus, of fish, 

 frogs, insects, and aquatic plants. 



